Homemade cranberry sauce tastes so much better than canned, and the Instant Pot makes it almost as easy. Fresh cranberries, orange juice, brown sugar, and warm spices cook for just 4 minutes under pressure, and you’ve got a sweet, tart sauce in about 30 minutes. The kids can even help make it.
More Thanksgiving Classics
The Keys to Nailing This Recipe
This one is about as hands-off as it gets, but a few small things make the difference between a smooth batch and a Burn notice or a pot of runny sauce. Keep these in mind and you’ll nail it the first time.
-
Stir and scrape before sealing —
Sugar sitting on the bottom of the pot is what usually triggers a Burn notice. Stir it into the juice so nothing is stuck to the floor of the pot. -
Let it release naturally —
Cranberries foam up as they burst. A quick release right away can spit hot, sticky sauce out of the valve. -
Judge thickness after it cools —
It looks loose straight out of the pot. It thickens a lot as it cools, so don’t keep cooking it to thicken it.
How to Make Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Making cranberry sauce on the stovetop usually means simmering and stirring for the better part of an hour. In the Instant Pot, it’s a few minutes of prep and 4 minutes under pressure, and the pot does the rest while you get everything else on the table ready. Here’s how I do it.
Step 1: Rinse and Sort the Cranberries
Dump the cranberries into a colander and give them a good rinse. As you go, pick out any stems and any berries that are soft, shriveled, or brown.
Fresh cranberries should be firm and shiny. If you’re using frozen cranberries, there’s no need to thaw them first. Just give them a quick rinse.
Step 2: Add Everything and Stir
Add the cranberries to the Instant Pot, then pour in the orange juice. Add the brown sugar, followed by the white sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir gently to combine, making sure no sugar is stuck to the bottom.
The cinnamon and nutmeg give this version a warm, cozy spice, and the zest brightens up the orange flavor.
Yep, that’s the whole ingredient list. Told you it was simple.
Step 3: Seal and Pressure Cook
Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual on older models) on High pressure and set the timer for 4 minutes. The pot takes about 8 to 10 minutes to come to pressure, and the 4-minute countdown won’t start until it gets there.
✦ Frozen berries take a little longer. They’ll need a few extra minutes to come to pressure, but the 4-minute cook time stays the same.
Step 4: Let the Pressure Release Naturally
When the timer beeps, leave it alone for 10 minutes so the pressure can come down on its own. Then carefully turn the valve to Venting to let out whatever pressure is left. Once the float valve drops, you can open the lid.
✦ Flip the valve with a spoon handle. The steam comes out hot and fast, so keep your hand and face clear of the vent.
Step 5: Stir and Let It Thicken
Most of the cranberries will have burst open. Stir everything with a wooden spoon, pressing some of the berries against the side of the pot as you go. Mash more for a smoother sauce, or leave some whole if you like it chunky.
Don’t worry if it looks thin. It thickens as it cools, so serve it warm or chill it in the fridge for a thicker sauce. This is where homemade beats canned. It’s fresher, it has a real tart bite, and you get to decide how sweet it is.
Ways to Make It Your Own
This is a tried and true recipe, but it’s easy to tweak to your taste.
- Make it sweeter: Add another ¼ cup of sugar, white or brown.
- Add more warm spice: A pinch of ground allspice adds a little extra warmth. You can also swap the ground cinnamon for a cinnamon stick and pull it out before serving.
- Stir in a little vanilla: A splash of vanilla extract after cooking rounds out the flavor.
- Use maple syrup: Swap the white sugar for ¼ cup of pure maple syrup.
- Add apples: A reader asked about adding apples for a cranberry chutney, and I say go for it. Add one peeled, chopped apple along with the cranberries.
- Make a grown-up batch: Another reader doubles the recipe and splits it once it cools, then stirs a generous splash of orange liqueur like Grand Marnier into the adults’ half.
What to Serve It With (Plus Leftover Ideas)
Cranberry sauce is a must next to the turkey, but it’s just as good with ham or pork. The tart sweetness balances out rich, savory mains. Here are a few I like to serve it with:
- Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast — classic Thanksgiving main without roasting a whole bird
- Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
- Maple and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
And don’t let any extra sauce go to waste. A few easy ways to use it up:
- Spread it on a leftover turkey sandwich
- Serve it on the side with Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
- Spoon it over Overnight French Toast the morning after
- Stir it into yogurt or spread it on toast
- Spoon it over cheesecake or vanilla ice cream
It keeps for about a week in the fridge, so you’ve got plenty of time to use it up.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make ahead: This is a great one to make 2 to 3 days before Thanksgiving. It has time to set up in the fridge, and your Instant Pot is free on the day itself.
Cooling: Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate it within 2 hours.
Fridge: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
Freezer: Freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Leave a little room at the top, since it expands as it freezes. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Serving and reheating: Serve it cold straight from the fridge, or warm it gently in a small saucepan over low heat. If it’s thicker than you like, stir in a splash of orange juice.
FAQs
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes, and you can use them straight from the freezer. It’ll take the Instant Pot a few extra minutes to come to pressure, but the 4-minute cook time and 10-minute natural release stay the same.
Fresh cranberries are usually only in stores from fall through December, so it’s worth tossing a couple of extra bags in the freezer. That way you can make this any time of year.
What do I do if I get a Burn notice?
Cancel the cycle, release the pressure, and open the lid. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck sugar, stir in about 2 Tbsp more orange juice, and start the 4-minute cook again.
Pouring the juice in first and stirring the sugar into it before sealing is the best way to keep it from happening in the first place.
Why is my cranberry sauce runny?
It’s almost always just still warm. Cranberries have a lot of natural pectin, and the sauce thickens quite a bit as it cools, so give it a few hours in the fridge. If it’s still thinner than you like once it’s cold, put it back in the pot on Sauté and simmer for a few minutes, stirring the whole time so it doesn’t scorch.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double all the ingredients and keep the same times: 4 minutes on High pressure and a 10-minute natural release. Cranberries foam as they cook, so keep the pot no more than half full. A double batch fits fine in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
- Total Time: About 30 min
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
Sweet, tart cranberry sauce made with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange juice, brown sugar, and warm spices. It cooks for just 4 minutes in the Instant Pot and makes ahead easily for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
Instructions
- Prep the cranberries. Rinse the cranberries and pick out any stems or soft, shriveled berries. Frozen cranberries don’t need to be thawed.
- Build the base. Add the cranberries. Pour the orange juice into the Instant Pot. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved and nothing is stuck to the bottom.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Pressure Cook (Manual) on High pressure for 4 minutes.
- Release the pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release the rest.
- Stir and mash. Stir with a wooden spoon, pressing the cranberries against the side of the pot until it’s as smooth or chunky as you like.
- Cool and serve. The sauce will look thin but thickens as it cools. Serve it warm, or chill it for a thicker sauce.
Notes
- Frozen cranberries: No need to thaw. They take a few extra minutes to come to pressure, but the cook time stays the same.
- Too runny once chilled: Simmer it on Sauté for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Doubling: Double the ingredients and keep the same times. Keep the pot no more than half full, since cranberries foam as they cook.
- Make ahead: Make it 2 to 3 days before you need it so it has time to set up in the fridge.
- Storage and reheating: Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Serve it cold, or warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 4 min (plus 10 min release)
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Want more recipes that turn out right?
Subscribe and Get My New Cooking with Confidence E-Book — FREE!
Denise says
Almost identical to the one I make. I’ll definitely try yours this year. I do make a double batch. After it’s cooled I divide it to make my kid safe version and my adult version by adding a generous splash of Grand Mariner. Sooo good!!!
Sarah McKenzie says
I just got my instapot and am excited to try my cranberry chutney recipe in it. Do you think apples would do well? They are part of my recipe.
RecipeTeacher says
By all means, add the apples. I bet it will be great!